Changing Concepts in Hematopoietic Stem Cells

November 26, 2018

(Science) – Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) can produce all cell lineages within the adult blood system, and they have provided a flagship model in which to study stem cell biology. Concepts developed from studying HSCs have influenced how we consider other stem cell systems. HSCs are also one of the few stem cell types with a long history of clinical application, in the form of bone marrow transplantation. Recent technical advances have brought about a major revision in our understanding of the HSC compartment. These necessitate new models and nomenclature to describe HSC heterogeneity, self-renewal, and differentiation potential, as well as having broader implications for how we consider stemness.